


The Midnight Sun

by Lyricanna



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Day1:Fairyttale, Ferdibert Week (Fire Emblem), Ferdinand's father is an asshole, Folklore, Happy Ending, Hubert is in human form for most of this fic, M/M, Magic, Sealbert if you will, Strangers to Lovers, ferdibert, folktale, no beta we die like Glenn, nudity mentioned but no sex, selkie!Hubert, selkie!au, yes Hubert is a seal person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21694876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyricanna/pseuds/Lyricanna
Summary: A selkie named Hubert loses his skin to a beautiful mortal named Ferdinand.  This is the story of how they came to love each other.For Ferdibert week day 1, fairy tale (but also works for domestic and friends to lovers).
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 14
Kudos: 147
Collections: Ferdibert Ship Week 2019





	The Midnight Sun

It was midnight and Hubert stood on the shore, naked, staring at the sun.

The man before him was stunning; his long red hair fell in gentle waves down his back, his fair skin shone like a pearl in the moonlight and his eyes and smile radiated such warmth that it took Hubert a moment to notice something else; this man was holding his seal skin.

This was not the way of things. Men often stole the skins of she-selkies to trap them as their wives. Sometimes a she-selkie would be careful when playing on the shore, in the world above, and hide their skin so cleverly that it only fell into the hands of a mortal man when she surrendered to their love of her own volition. He-selkies, should they choose to have a mortal wife, sometimes left their skins where the woman they loved could find them; once a woman touched his skin, she would have no choice but to pick it up and keep it, unless he stole it back or she died. If the mortal involved struck a selkie in anger three times, they could take back their skin and return to the sea. But men did not pick up the skin of he-selkies; those skins were supposed to be below their notice.

And Hubert was always exactingly careful when he came ashore. His skin was always carefully hidden somewhere that humans didn't go. He used his magic to add extra enchantments, to make it that much more difficult to be found, to make the entrance to the cave he used near invisible to mortal eyes. The cave was close to where he stood, his human clothes hidden away in their usual spot, and he was so close to returning to the sea. But a man held his skin. There were no customs or rules for _that_. All that he knew was that he was trapped.

“Does this belong to you?” the sun asked him, lifting the seal skin slightly. Hubert merely nodded.

“Here you go then,” he replied presently. Hubert walked over and tried to take it; he could not touch it until the beautiful man before him dropped it, but then sun stood motionless, his face contorting into confusion as he tried to let go but couldn't. _Great,_ Hubert thought bitterly, _we've trapped each other._

“I can't let go. Why can't I let go? What are you?” he asked, his voice shaking slightly. Since he clutched Hubert's skin, he was compelled to answer.

“I am a selkie. You are holding my skin.” He tried to stop the words from coming and found that he could not. “I am yours now. As to why you cannot put down my skin, I do not know. I have never heard tell of a man picking up a male selkie's skin before.” He clamped his mouth shut. He had his theories as to the how and why of this particularly humiliating situation but the sun had not asked him that and he wasn't going to share any more information than necessary. They would be living together for a while and Hubert instinctively knew that humans were cruel. So he decided to do something utterly against his nature; keep the peace.

“A selkie? Truly? I never thought I'd meet one,” the sun exclaimed. His obvious joy and wonder were charming – and completely at odds with the dread that Hubert felt. “I also thought that selkies were only women,” he added, a slight blush coming to his face.

“If there were only she-selkies how would we reproduce?” Hubert tried to keep the scorn out of his voice and failed. He was bound to an idiot. A beautiful idiot.

“The fairy tales say that they would come on land and seduce a man, stealing his heart and sense of peace when she left. She would give birth to her daughters in the waves unless her skin had been lost.”

“We steal nothing,” Hubert retorted.

“But if the men in those tales can give a woman her skin back, why I can't I give you yours?”

“I suspect it is because we are both men. Mortal men often steal the skins of selkie women, binding that woman to her, making it impossible for her to take her skin back unless it is freely given or he dies. When a male selkie decides to take a mortal wife, he leaves his skin where she would step on it and be compelled to pick it up. She will be compelled to hide it, unable to give it back unless she was about to die. If dropping it would save her life, then she can.” He kept the clause about being struck in anger to himself. He might need it after all.

“So when I stepped on it, you trapped me. Then when I picked it up, I trapped you.”

“Yes.”

“Will you come home with me?”

Hubert was bound to obey, to please his new master, to leave the cold, dark and deep comfort of the ocean. “Yes,” he practically hissed, unable to reply any other way.

“Do you have clothes nearby?”

“Yes.”

“Well, let's go get them then.”

Hubert nodded and started off in the direction of his hiding place. They stopped near a rocky area of the shore and Hubert climbed into the rocks at the opening of the cave, stopping when he was sitting next to one that was particularly large and angular.

“May I use my magic?” he asked. The need to ask for permission was galling.

“Oh yes, of course. Whatever you need.”

 _I need my skin back_ , Hubert thought as he cast the spells to open the large rock. He removed the top of the rock with ease and reached in to retrieve his seal-black leggings and blood red button up shirt. He dressed himself quickly, not out of need for modesty but because he had to conceal his true nature; it was one of the rules of being trapped, one of the enchantments that he simply could not fight. With a few whispered words, the rock was closed off again and looked no different than the many that surrounded it.

“That must feel better,” the sun said cheerily. Hubert tried not to find comfort in the warmth of that voice. “I'm Ferdinand Von Aegir, by the way. I should have introduced myself sooner. What do I call you?”

“Hubert. Unless you have another name for me.”

“No. Hubert is fine. More common than I expected, but then again, tonight hasn't been what I expected at all.” He shook his head, his long red tresses flowing like waves around his shoulders as he did so. Hubert stood, mesmerized by their beauty, suddenly desiring nothing more than to run his hands through the other man's hair. _Ferdinand_ , he reminded himself. His master's name was Ferdinand.

“In that, we are in agreement.”

“Let's go home, Hubert.”

“Yes Ferdinand.”

~*~

About the only thing that Hubert liked about Ferdinand's isolated house was that he could see the sea from his bedroom window. It was both a comfort and a torment, to see his home so clearly and not be able to return. The house – a cottage really – was small. There was a sitting room attached to a kitchen that contained a small table and two chairs. There was a door to a cellar which was where the food was stored. Upstairs, there was a small bathroom with indoor plumbing and hot water that made Hubert's skin sting. The water had no smell of salt, no connection to the tides; it was isolated in this house, starved of life, reduced to a commodity and nothing more. There were two small bedrooms, one of which had been given to Hubert as if he were an expected guest instead of Ferdinand's... whatever he was to him.

Despite Ferdinand's welcome and general warmth, Hubert stubbornly refused to let his guard down. Ferdinand was trying very hard to make him feel welcome, to make him feel like this wasn't all some terrible mistake that they both needed to escape from.

He tolerated Ferdinand taking his measurements for new clothes, standing naked in the daylight pouring in from the sitting room windows.

“It's nothing I haven't seen before,” Ferdinand chided, despite the blush that extended from his cheeks to his ears. He took the measurements carefully, trying not to touch Hubert anymore than strictly necessary. And Hubert stood obediently because what else could he do?

He kept standing stock still as Ferdinand wrote down the measurements and stole furtive glances at his naked form. He could almost feel a warm touch on his body where Ferdinand's eyes lingered, from the stony planes and angles of his face to his muscled chest and arms, to his slender hips and legs.

Ferdinand himself was quite pretty, Hubert admitted to himself. In the light of day, his fair skin was freckled, his red-gold hair shining and vibrant. He had strong legs, a slender waist and broad shoulders, and soft, elegant hands. His eyes were bright enough to generate their own light, as they sparkled with purpose and a hint of mischief. Yes, he was handsome and kind, but that was no reason for Hubert to get comfortable. Especially since the other man had hidden away Hubert's seal skin and he felt compelled to find it.

“Do you have any family?” Ferdinand asked as he sat down at the table and began to write out a list for his trip into town. “Oh and feel free to get dressed again. This must be uncomfortable for you.”

The truth was that Hubert wasn't put off by nudity, his own or anyone else's. But clothes were required on land and so he dressed himself in the same red shirt and black pants that he had been wearing for the past few days. They seemed to complement Ferdinand's white shirt, deep blue vest and black pants quite nicely, if Hubert were being honest. But he wasn't asked about any of those observations and so he kept them to himself.

“Being on land against my will is more than uncomfortable,” he groused as he finished dressing. “To answer your prior question, I have no family, no mate and few friends.”

“I see. You aren't really the talkative type, are you?”

“Not particularly.”

“Alright then, I'll try not to pry too much. I'm just so curious about, well, everything really. But that can wait.” He stood up and tucked his list into his pocket. “I have to go into town to get you some clothes and some other supplies. Get some rest and I'll see you when I get back.” He patted Hubert's shoulder reassuringly and his hand was so warm and his touch was steady and sure; Hubert couldn't help but give a small smile in return.

“Could you please bring me back a book?” Hubert asked hesitantly.

“I can try. What do you like to read about?” Ferdinand replied.

“I... I want to know what you humans have wrote about us. And maybe find some clue to getting out of this predicament.” He watched carefully as Ferdinand's smile momentarily faltered, like the sun suddenly hiding behind the clouds only to peak out again a few seconds later. His heart clenched and he had a fleeting feeling of panic until the smile returned.

“Of course. I'll do my utmost. Please make yourself comfortable in the meantime. I'll be back in a few hours.” Ferdinand went to the coat rack near the front door, donned a light weight jacket and left.

Hubert waited until he was sure that Ferdinand wouldn't come back for something he had forgotten before beginning to search the house. He started with the sitting room, inspecting every nook and cranny for some secret spot. He opened every storage chest that was unlocked, sifting through the contents quickly and carefully, replacing every object when he was done.

He then moved onto the cellar, his eyes adjusting to the darkness less quickly than he was used to. This human form was limiting him, Hubert realised as he waited for eyes to fully adjust. He saw several shelves and boxes, dried meats and fruit preserves. He riffled through them as well, moving boxes and shelves to check for any other hidden spaces. There was nothing to be found but spiders on the ground, no hidden passage or extra storage space anywhere.

He moved on to the second floor of the house, stopping in the bathroom first. The few cabinets held only cleaning supplies, extra towels and soaps and shampoos. They smelt floral and false, an approximation of nature without its comfort.

Ferdinand's room was next. He paused in front of the door, an odd apprehension filling him. Ferdinand had never invited Hubert into his private space, yet he hadn't forbidden him to enter either. He glanced around and saw the door to his own room and the earlier suggestion that he rest began to take hold. He fought the need to obey only to feel the need strengthen inside of him. He was tired after all, and he didn't like being awake in the harsh daylight. _I'll rest after I check his room_ , he told himself and the pressing need to rest suddenly lessened.

Before he could second guess himself, he opened the door and went in. The room was quite a bit more decorative than Hubert's was. The bed was larger and covered with a royal blue duvet that had patterns embroidered in gold coloured thread. The dresser was rounded, no sharp edges, and carved with fanciful designs. A bedside table matched the dresser. There was a closet at the far end, beside a vanity table and mirror. The curtains that framed the window looked incredibly soft and Hubert had to force himself to ignore the urge to touch them. The walls were painted a soft pink, only a shade or two darker than white.

He went first to the closet, rifling through Ferdinand's clothes and extra sheets and blankets. The materials were very soft and of a much higher quality than Hubert himself wore when he was on shore. He checked each hanger, making sure that his skin wasn't hidden in the folds of the clothes or bed linens. He then moved onto the dresser, and repeated the process. With an irritated sigh, he went and looked under the bed; there was a trunk of some sort and he hauled it out.

Hubert studied the odd trunk, only six inches tall but very wide. And locked. He tried to pull on the lock, but his strength had been reduced to that of a mortal and the lock would not budge. Which meant that he also couldn't simply destroy the lid. He had no magic for locks or other human trappings. As his frustration grew, so did his certainty that this large plain box held his skin and other treasures. He shoved it back under the bed and stood up.

Hubert gave the drawers of the side table a cursory look but found nothing of interest other than a few romance novels and some scented oils. The oils were not from fish or seals so he simply put them back and slammed the drawer closed.

The need to rest came over him again and after making sure that everything in Ferdinand's room was in the same place that he had found it, he headed back to his own room to rest. He was sure that he knew where his skin was but he could do nothing about it. He stripped down and flung himself into bed, hoping that sleep would come quickly.

It had never occurred to Hubert to check between the mattresses.  
~*~

“Hold still,” Ferdinand said impatiently.

“I fail to see why this is necessary,” came the disgruntled reply.

“Because my father will be visiting later today,” Ferdinand explained for the third time. “If I am to convince him that you are a temporary boarder, then you need to look a little more... put together.” Ferdinand cut off another lock of Hubert's chin length hair. “Besides your hair is in bad shape from the salt water; it'll grow in much healthier this way.”

Hubert sighed but said nothing. In the weeks they had spent together, they had come to an odd peace. Ferdinand had shown him the small garden that was kept behind the house and the tiny stable that housed his horse. The animal had actually seemed happy in its captivity, something that Hubert didn't quite understand.

After too many nights staring out at the sea, Ferdinand had suggested that they take evening walks and that Hubert could swim for a while. It wasn't the same without his seal skin, but it was a welcome relief.

He had read through the books that Ferdinand had brought him, finding them to be of little use in their situation. Any real accounts of meetings with other selkies were exaggerated and extremely biased. _We are the victims here, slaves of this magical pact that none of us truly understand but must obey,_ he had said to Ferdinand after slamming one of the books closed. Ferdinand had given him a soft smile and a cup of bitter tea, which was at least preferable over Ferdinand's floral favourites. He had comforted Hubert as best as he knew how, saying that they would make the best of the situation.

Hubert had learned a little bit about cooking and had taken to doing some basic chores in the cottage to avoid feeling so restless. He found it surprisingly nice to have Ferdinand's hand on his own, guiding him to learn how to clean this or that. In fact, Ferdinand was nothing like the mortals that Hubert had met before; he was kind, principled, well kept with no vices, understanding and curious, polite and easy going. He hadn't hurt Hubert, not in anger; aside from teaching Hubert how to do this and that or the occasional reassuring hand on his arm or shoulder, Ferdinand didn't touch Hubert at all. Hubert had expected that anyone who would take a selkie captive by stealing their skin would be controlling or cruel, but his master was none of these things.

“You don't seem excited to see your father,” Hubert finally said as more of his hair was shortened.

“I'm not,” Ferdinand replied tersely. He laid down the scissors and inspected his work; the back was shortened up but Ferdinand had left a longer piece in the front to add some character to the style. “This suits you quite well.”

Ignoring the compliment, Hubert asked, “why allow him to visit, if you don't want to see him?”

Ferdinand stepped back in front of Hubert with his shoulders slumped and the familiar smile gone. “Because I don't get a choice in the matter.”

Hubert waited as he watched regret and fear, hope and resignation flit across Ferdinand's face.

“I am in exile here,” Ferdinand explained as he sat down in the chair opposite Hubert.

“What for?”

“Love,” he replied with an awkward shrug as he tugged his hair free of its messy bun.

“You are married?” Hubert asked.

“Oh no,” Ferdinand replied with a laugh. “I'm not sure any woman would have me.”

“But you're beautiful.” Hubert clamped his mouth shut as he felt heat fill his cheeks. He had never meant to admit that, never wanted Ferdinand to know...

“Oh?” Ferdinand was grinning openly now. “I didn't think you would have noticed,” he added coyly.

“It's impossible not to,” Hubert muttered. “But if you aren't married...?”

“Oh that. Well, I had been in love with a... a man,” Ferdinand admitted softly. “My father didn't approve so he sent his 'reckless embarrassment of a son' away. It's not like it's illegal or anything, it's just that my father and his circle find such things to be 'perversions of the lower classes' until one of them gets caught, anyway.”

“Do you still love him?”

Ferdinand cocked his head to one side, considering. Slowly he shook his head, spilling red gold waves over his shoulder as he did so. “No. It was a long time ago and I imagine that he has forgotten me by now.”

That was the most unlikely thing he had ever heard, but Hubert kept that thought to himself as he swept up the remains of his hair.

~*~

Ferdinand's father didn't even bother to knock on the door; he just barged in, which Hubert knew was considered to be incredibly rude. Ferdinand stood up immediately, looking like he had been caught doing something wrong, instead of simply enjoying his afternoon tea.

Hubert studied the man and saw very little of Ferdinand in him; his balding head had hair of the same colour, but aside from that there were few commonalities. Where Ferdinand was tall, lithe, lean, with strong legs and shoulders and gentle hands, his father was shorter, fat, and had an ill-tempered look on his face. Ferdinand dressed simply but in a way that suited him, in fashion without flaunting anything. His father dressed to show off his wealth and wore many rings on his short, pudgy fingers. Between Ferdinand's reaction to his arrival and the look on his face, Hubert already knew that he did not like the Duke.

“Lord Father, I wasn't expecting you for another hour yet,” Ferdinand said politely. His voice had a slight quaver in it that Hubert wasn't used to. He stood awkwardly, wanting to comfort his master while knowing that the Duke would interpret it wrongly.

“One of my other appointments today went faster than expected,” the Duke replied. “And who is this?”

“Duke Aegir, this is Hubert. He's studying marine life and folklore,” Ferdinand lied quickly. The Duke did not extend a hand to Hubert and Hubert was unsure of the proper way to interact with someone of his station. He glanced at Ferdinand who wore an anxious smile but offered no clues, so Hubert merely nodded.

“Is he staying here?”

“Yes Father, he's boarding in the spare room for the next few weeks.”

“Kind of you to inform me.”

“He just informed you now,” Hubert said curtly.

“If I had known ahead of time,” the Duke retorted, “I would have booked a stay at the inn in town, instead of planning to stay in this hovel.” He directed his comments to his son, ignoring Hubert as insignificant and unworthy.

“I thought you were only here for a short visit,” Ferdinand explained, trying to hide his dismay.

“Overnight is a short visit. It will give me long enough to make sure that you aren't hiding anything and that you are mending your ways.”

Hubert opened his mouth to speak, to defend his master who was clearly upset and frightened, but Ferdinand spoke first.

“Perhaps now is a good time to go for a walk, Hubert. I could use some alone time with my father.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I'll see you at dinner.”

“Your boarder doesn't need to dine with us,” Duke Aegir sneered.

“As you say. I'll see you after dinner Hubert.”

He didn't want to leave. Ferdinand looked pale and small, the sun dimmed in such a way that Hubert felt its acute loss, like a part of his heart being ripped away. Every instinct told him that his master, his Ferdinand was in danger. But he had been ordered to go and so he went to the coat rack by the door and slowly pulled on his coat, checking for the coins that Ferdinand had put in the pocket the last time they had gone into town together, opened the door and left.

~*~

The sun had barely set when Hubert returned. He had filled the afternoon hours with swimming and catching fish, which he ate raw as he was used to. He had walked as far along the beach as his legs would take him, willing the hours to go by faster. He was anxious to be back, to make sure that his master was alright.

When he entered the house, only Ferdinand was in the sitting room. The first thing that Hubert noticed in the lantern light was the bruise on Ferdinand's cheek. The second was the faint smell of salt from his tears. Someone had hurt his master, _his mate_.

Without a second thought, Hubert went over to Ferdinand and knelt before him. He gently brushed the soft red hair out of Ferdinand's face, and looked up into his eyes. There was shame and anger and a lot of fear in those beautiful golden eyes and Hubert could barely contain his rage.

“Where is he?” Hubert demanded.

“In my room, sleeping. I'll have to share yours tonight. I can sleep on the floor,” Ferdinand replied absently, turning away.

“You can have the bed or share it with me,” Hubert offered without thinking.

“The floor is fine. If we share he'll assume the worst,” Ferdinand pleaded quietly.

“And my skin?” Hubert asked in a voice barely more than a whisper.

“It's safe. I moved it and a few other things under the guise of preparing my room for him. You are safe.” The quiet reassurance in Ferdinand's voice was all that Hubert needed.

“Do you want me to get rid of him?”

Ferdinand's face cycled through shock, disappointment, anger and fear so quickly that Hubert knew he had misspoken. His master seemed to think that Hubert was far more genteel than he was, perhaps because they didn't argue much, perhaps because Hubert could not harm Ferdinand intentionally by word or deed while he owned his seal skin. The Duke was, however, well within his reach.

“That would draw undue attention to us. And I don't want him to die, not really, I just want him to stay away,” Ferdinand replied quietly. “I'd rather that he had no reason to disturb us for the next year or two.”

“If he returns in a few months or a year what will you tell him about me? I am not supposed to be staying with you that long.”

“I don't know. But that's a worry for another day.” He reached out tentatively and gently touched Hubert's face, as if to comfort him. Ferdinand was the one who was hurt and afraid, yet Hubert was the one receiving comfort; it was decidedly odd.

Ferdinand stood and Hubert followed him as he headed towards the stairs and Hubert's – their – room. They readied themselves for bed, Hubert changing quickly into the soft pants that were for sleeping in, while Ferdinand tried to find somewhere else to look.

Hubert watched with concealed interest as Ferdinand slipped out of his clothes, shyly, trying so hard to conceal himself in a room with nowhere to hide. A blush extended from his face to his chest, which was lightly muscled, smooth and otherwise pale. His waist was as narrow as it had seemed when clothed, his hips shapely and his legs muscled and strong. In all his glory, he was even more stunning than Hubert could believe possible. His hair shone like the sun and his skin reflected the moonlight as if it was generating a light all its own.

“Beautiful,” Hubert breathed as Ferdinand quickly pulled on his pyjamas. He suddenly wanted to pull his master closer, to touch the moonlit skin and offer himself in communion to this man, this being of ethereal light. As he watched Ferdinand snuggle into the blankets on the floor, Hubert tried to remember if such a desire was a part of the magic that bound him to the one who held his seal skin. He had never heard of any such thing from those who had escaped their masters, but then again, he had never heard anything from those that stayed happily with their mortals either.

“Good night,” Ferdinand murmured from the ground.

“Sleep well,” Hubert replied, knowing that he himself would spend the night watching Ferdinand, marveling in his beauty and his desire to protect him.

~*~

Hubert was roused from a beautiful dream – a dream where he and Ferdinand lived together beneath the waves – by the bedroom door slamming open. He sat up, his eyes bleary and wished he had seen literally anyone else first upon waking. Duke Aegir was in a mood, apparently. He kicked Ferdinand's leg and brought the groggy redhead to full wakefulness.

“What are you doing in bed at this hour?” the Duke demanded. He was fully dressed and groomed, a scowl on his face and his foot raised slightly, as if prepared to kick his son again.

“What do you mean? The sun has barely risen,” Ferdinand replied with a yawn as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“But it has risen,” his father replied curtly.

“Do we have some engagement this early in the morning?” Ferdinand asked, sleepy confusion still marring his countenance.

“We do indeed. We have a breakfast to attend in town.”

Ferdinand paled and tried to look anywhere but his father. His eyes rested on Hubert for a second too long and his father made a disgusted noise.

“I hope you aren't interested in that rat, boy,” Duke Aegir said with a warning. “And I do hope the rat has some clothes on.”

Hubert swept the blankets off of him and stood up, careful not to step on Ferdinand, showing that he was indeed clothed and ready for a confrontation. He moved to stand between Ferdinand and his father, wanting nothing more than to strangle the man in front of him.

Ferdinand stood up behind him and gently shouldered him aside. He stood in front of his father, looking down at him, gathering his courage.

“I'm not going. I know I'll never be what you want me to be, I'll never be fixed enough for you. Find another son; I no longer wish to return to the capitol,” Ferdinand declared, his voice wavering at first, picking up confidence as he went on. “I am at peace here and I'd appreciate it if you left me to it.”

The Duke stared at his son, open mouthed, as he registered the words. His face reddened in anger and he raised a hand to strike his son. Ferdinand caught him mid-swing and forced his father's arm down.

“No. Never again,” he commanded. “You will not treat me like a disobedient child anymore. I don't deserve to be treated like garbage, not by you or anyone else!”

Hubert felt his heart swell with pride as Ferdinand took control of the situation. It wasn't until that moment that he had realized that Ferdinand was also trapped, but in a different way; he was ensnared by duty, guilt and expectations that his father had made sure he could never meet. Ferdinand was taking his life back, his sense of self back and Hubert didn't think he had ever seen anything so beautiful.

“You cannot speak to me like this, you impudent litt-”

“I want you gone from my house. Now,” Ferdinand interrupted, face reddening in anger. “And as it is my house, I will speak however I damn well please.”

The Duke tried to swing with his other hand, but Ferdinand caught that one too and shoved him towards the door.

“You can leave on your own or we will throw you out. Your choice.”

Hubert instinctively moved to stand beside Ferdinand, ready to attack should the Duke cause anymore trouble. The Duke, seeing that he was out-manned and outnumbered, turned back into the hallway with a huff. The sound of a door slamming quickly followed.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh? Um. Yes. I think so. That was a long time coming,” Ferdinand replied sadly.

“You seem upset.”

“I think I'm more upset that we'll never come to peace, that that option is gone, than by the fact that I will likely never see my father or my childhood home again.”

Hubert wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he turned and started dressing himself. He made himself presentable and arranged his hair the way it had been the day before, the way that Ferdinand had liked. He listened to the noise from across the hall, eager to hear the sounds of the retched Duke exiting their lives forever. Once the sounds of footsteps in the hall faded and the sound of the front door slamming had stopped echoing, he turned back to Ferdinand.

Ferdinand had a single tear sliding down his face, yet his expression was determined. Hubert opened his arms to his master, his mate and pulled him close.

~*~

“I want to try something,” Ferdinand announced after dinner one night at the end of summer. Hubert turned away from the dishes that he was cleaning to look at him.

“What is it?”

“I want to swim with you tonight. I... I also want to test a theory I have. Please don't ask anymore, if you agree to indulge me, that is,” Ferdinand replied with a nervous laugh.

“I trust you,” Hubert responded quietly, as he set the clean dishes aside. “When do you want to go?”

“Soon. Just let me go get something.” And with that Ferdinand darted up the stairs.

Hubert went and sat in one of the chairs by the table, waiting with his thoughts. Remarkably, he really did trust Ferdinand. Even more remarkable, he had come to love him. He hadn't been able to say it, not even when they had finished kissing or cuddling, not even on the one night he had tried for something _more_ and Ferdinand had said he wasn't ready. They slept together now, arms around each other and bodies kept close. Just sleeping had become something that Hubert had come to look forward to; his mate was in his arms and that was everything. He was also fairly sure that Ferdinand loved him back, which was even better.

So when Ferdinand came back downstairs with a satchel and a furtive expression on his face, Hubert was both curious and concerned.

“Let's go. If you're ready, that is,” Ferdinand said nervously. Hubert wanted to ask if he was alright but Ferdinand had said not to ask any more questions and so he shrugged and stood up. The only thing that Hubert craved more than his mate's touch was the embrace of the ocean.

“Of course.”

They walked down to the beach together, in companionable silence. It was a short walk, along a wooded path that slowly gave way to sand and beach grass. When they arrived on the beach, Hubert began to strip down, eager to swim with Ferdinand. He was slower to undress, still shy about being naked, while Hubert tried not to watch him, even though it was difficult to look away from his mate for long.

After folding his clothes, Ferdinand opened the satchel and pulled out Hubert's seal skin. He held it to his chest and Hubert shuddered with pleasure; it felt as if he himself were pressed against Ferdinand.

“I'm ready,” Ferdinand said after a moment.

“I really would like to ask what you have planned,” Hubert replied as he extended his hand.

“I know. Sorry.” Ferdinand took his hand and they began to walk into the waves together. Hubert felt increasingly relaxed the further into the ocean they went, while his mate looked... solemn.

They reached a point in the water when they could no longer touch the bottom. Hubert suddenly wondered if Ferdinand could swim; he had never seen his mate do so before.

“You better not be trying to kill yourself,” he scolded, raising his voice to be heard over the crashing waves.

“Of course not.” Ferdinand looked haughty, offended but also amused. “Can we stop here?” Hubert nodded and waited, while Ferdinand gently pulled his hand away. He watched as the ocean swirled Ferdinand's hair around them, like a pool of sunlight. He felt his mate hug his seal skin close and then start to wrap it around them both. A larger wave struck and Ferdinand went under, the seal skin suddenly only wrapped around Hubert.

His seal skin fused with his body and Hubert felt himself become whole once more. He dove under the waves, grabbed Ferdinand and dragged him back to shore. His mate-no-more was coughing and spluttering, but otherwise fine.

“What in the name of all you consider holy was that?” Hubert demanded.

“I thought that maybe,” he stopped to cough and then continued, “maybe if we were both wrapped in your skin, that I could become like you.”

It was a ridiculous notion but when Hubert saw the earnest expression, the need for understanding on Ferdinand's face he softened slightly.

“Do you no longer want me?” he asked gravely.

“Of course I want you! You're handsome and protective and smart and, and why would you even ask such a thing?” Ferdinand yelled. He looked as hurt and small as when his father had visited all those weeks ago and Hubert felt ashamed.

“You must have known there was a chance that this would free me,” Hubert said softly, unsure if he should reach out to comfort the sun.

“I knew that was a risk. That's _why_ I did it,” Ferdinand replied. Hubert stared, trying to process the words, trying to understand.

“What do you mean that's why?”

“I wanted it to be your choice to stay with me. To be with me, to lay with me, to make love to me. I didn't want you to do any of it because some stupid spell _made_ you.” He spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, while a blush crept down his face to his neck.

He wanted to become like Hubert, he wanted Hubert to be free to choose. As the import of those words sunk in Hubert began to smile. He rushed forward, pulling Ferdinand into his embrace, kissing his lips gently.

“You want to be with me, even if I have to leave for a time, to be in the waves?”

“Yes. I'd go with you if I could, but I can't.”

“Then I will always come home to you,” Hubert promised, fervently kissing his mate again. “I love you,” he confessed as they pulled back from their kiss to breathe.

“I love you too.”

“Then let's go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> I will write a short fic for anyone who draws me Sealbert, just saying ;)


End file.
